Editing Screen printing (section)

== Stencils ==
[[File:Ssc.jpg|thumb|A [[macro photography|macro photo]] of a screen print with a photographically produced [[stencil]]. The ink will be printed where the stencil does not cover the substrate.]]

A method of stenciling that has increased in popularity over the past years is the [[photo emulsion]] technique:

# The original image is created on a transparent overlay, and the image may be drawn or painted directly on the overlay, [[photocopier|photocopied]], or printed with a computer printer, but making so that the areas to be inked are not transparent. Any material that blocks ultra violet light can be used as the film, even card stock. A black-and-white positive may also be used (projected onto the screen).  However, unlike traditional plate-making, these screens are normally exposed by using film positives.
# A screen must then be selected. There are several different mesh counts that can be used depending on the detail of the design being printed. Once a screen is selected, the screen must be coated with a [[Photographic emulsion|photosensitive emulsion]] and dried.  Once dry, it is then possible to burn/expose the print.
# The overlay is placed over the screen, and then exposed with a light source containing [[ultraviolet]] light in the 350–420 nanometer spectrum.
# The screen is washed off thoroughly. The areas of emulsion that were not exposed to light dissolve and wash away, leaving a negative stencil of the image on the mesh.